ISLAMABAD - For the first time in the history of Pakistan, the two-day ‘6th Think Tanks Forum of the Islamic Countries’ will be held in Islamabad on March 7-8 under the joint auspices of the Pakistan-China Institute (PCI), the Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies (TASAM), the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and the Pakistan’s Senate Committee on Defence. This was announced by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed.
The Think Tanks Forum of the Islamic Countries with its secretariat in Istanbul is a biannual gathering of the representatives of think tanks from Muslim countries across the world. The forum has a 9-member board of eminent persons, where Senator Mushahid Hussain, Chairman PCI and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, represents Pakistan, while other represented countries include Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Bangladesh, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Malaysia and Sudan.
Previously held in Istanbul, Cairo, Baku, Baghdad and Tehran, the subject of this year’s forum is “Addressing Multi-Dimensional Security Challenges” and will focus on themes addressing security challenges (such as terrorism, extremism and cyber security); cooperation in defence, politics and economy; dialogue among Muslims to promote unity; as well as promoting a soft power image of Muslim countries as a whole.
President Mamnoon Hussain will address the forum on the evening of the first day, while the Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz will address a special morning session on the second day.